A Piece of Perfection

Yesterday. Our lovely last day in Hawaii. We planned on a little hike we had heard about up on the northern coast. We started out early, drove up to the Pololu Valley and happened upon the most gorgeous beach. And we were there with hardly a soul in sight, although more were trickling in once we decided to leave.

view from the first switchback

near the end--reaching the valley floor

It was so heavenly there and exactly the ideal Hawaii I had always imagined: rugged, rich, isolated and serene. I had been dying to sink my toes into some of the island's rare black sand and this beach was filled with it--so soft and light to the touch, and so stunning against the white waves. I don't know if our pictures really captured the beauty of the place but we couldn't stop taking them. I loved being there and now deem it a new favorite place in the world. Wandering that beach, breathing that fresh and misty ocean air, and walking hand in hand with the love of my life on that deserted piece of paradise was absolute heaven for me, the perfect end to our glorious holiday.

On our way back south we paid homage to King Kamehameha (at one of the many statues of him on the island) and the lovely Maui across the sea--the northern coast provides a stunning view of its neighbor island. We also explored a more local black sand beach which really must be called a "peppered" beach when compared to the rich sands of Pololu.

Maui in distance

After an afternoon at the pool (but of course), a late checkout, fish tacos for dinner in the heart of Kona (my hubby's favorite meal), and one last stroll through an ABC store, we met our plane at the airport and have made it home. We were so eager to see our children, but can one ever feel ready to leave Hawaii? It is such a beloved escape of ours. And the Big Island is an amazing place that we only began to discover during our short stay. I love that there is so very much to see and explore, and because of this, the tourists are dispersed which leaves things feeling so open and raw, even on the beach at our resort. And so many of the best beaches, tide pools, snorkeling bays and waterfalls require real efforts to actually see them as they are not just waiting for us tourists off the side of the road.

I am definitely going back.